Around 2014 and 2015, Tom Diaz, otherwise known as “Lazer,” auditioned for a few bands and felt that none of them seemed like a good fit for him. He ended up placing an ad publicly and his neighbor, Nick Anthony, also known as “Busker,” responded – neither knew the other played music. They have stuck together since then, becoming the two primary members of Iron Roots.

The band varies in its line-up, utilizing anywhere from four to thirteen members (including an entire horn section), but Lazer and Busker have been there since the beginning and consider themselves the primary members. Other members have included Pete Williams on bass, Kenny Lee on guitar, Bryan Cirullo on guitar, Matt Craig (also known as Roots) on keyboard, and Troy Thill on saxophone. Others who have played with the group include David Dinsmore, who played with the group in early February just a week before his sudden passing.

Both of Busker’s parents were in bands when he was a kid, growing up on the East Coast in the D.C. area. He grew up on protest music, which led him to explore reggae, and he got into the music scene in Colorado as soon as he moved with his wife in 2012. Once he formed Iron Roots with Lazer, he focused primarily on vocals and filling in any other instrumental role that was needed, including keys, percussions, or rhythm guitar.

Lazer, having grown up in Denver, has focused on playing the drums since he was ten, listening to Afro-Cuban jazz from a very early age because of his Cuban grandfather. He has since learned more instruments and gotten into the production side of music, but he focuses on playing drums for Iron Roots and his other local reggae group, One Drum.

The band adapts most of its sound from old-style, 70s roots-reggae music, playing mostly originals that they have worked on together, usually developed from Lazer’s basslines and Busker’s lyrics. However, every member of the group involved in writing each song ends up contributing something, whether it be a horn line, a percussion line, or something else entirely.

Busker and Lazer love it when two different ideas, sometimes ideas that sit for months with no progress, end up combining suddenly into something unique and special. They love being able to bring old-style roots-reggae music to a wider audience, and they hope that the audience can open their minds and hearts to the (sometimes political) messages that they bring into their music and that they can still be inclusive as a band.

If you want to see Busker, Lazer, and 4-6 other members perform as Iron Roots, you can head to The Train Cars, 101 Peak to Peak Highway in Nederland, on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at 6 p.m.

Music Events

Busey Brews

Sunday, May 26 at 2 p.m. - i.O. Underground

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuseyBrews/

Website: https://buseybrews.com/

Location: 70 E. 1st Street, Nederland

Phone: 1-855-633-2739

Canyon Tavern

Saturday, May 25 at 6 p.m. - Howard Dlugasch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coalcreekcanyontavern

Website: https://canyontavern.com/

Location: 32138 Highway 72, Coal Creek Canyon

Phone: 303-642-3180

Diner Bar Ned

Wednesdays at 8 p.m. - Karaoke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dinerbarned/

Location: 121 N. Jefferson Street, Nederland

Gold Hill Inn

Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. - Meadow Mountain

Friday, May 24 at 8 p.m. - Magoo

Saturday, May 25 at 6 p.m. - Montana Sand

Sunday, May 26 at 6 p.m. - Danny Shafer

Monday, May 27 at noon - Memorial Day Mountain Festival and Barbecue 2024

Friday, May 31 at 8 p.m. - High Lonesome

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldHillInn/

Website: goldhillinn.com

Location: 401 Main Street, Gold Hill

Phone: 303-443-6461

Gold Hill Store

Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m. - Lionel Young

Friday, May 31 at 7 p.m. - Derek Dames Ohl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gold-Hill-General-Store/

Website: https://www.goldhillstore.com/

Location: 531 Main Street, Gold Hill.

Howlin Wind Brewing

Saturday, May 25 at 5 p.m. - Stellar Jays

Sunday, May 26 at 4 p.m. - Open Bluegrass Jam

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howlinwindbrewing

Website: https://www.howlinwindbrewing.com/

Location: 51 A Main Street, Rollinsville

Phone: 309-825-5245

Jamestown Mercantile

Thursday, May 23 at noon - Dead- Phish Duo

Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m. - Tyron Benoit

Sunday, May 26 at 12:15 p.m. - Circus Mutt

Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. - Jay Stott

Friday, May 31 at 7 p.m. - The Alcapones

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestown.mercantile/

Website: https://www.jamestownmercantile.com/

Location: 108 Main Street, Jamestown

Phone: 303-442-5847

JKQ BBQ

Friday, May 24 at 6 p.m. - Mark Kuban

Saturday, May 25 at 5 p.m. - Mark Kuban

Friday, May 31 at 6 p.m. - Nick Ward from Kind Mountain Band

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JkqBbq/

Location: 200 Gregory Street, Black Hawk

Phone: 720-316-1361

Knotted Root Brewing

Friday, May 24 at 6 p.m. - DJ

Saturday, May 25 at 5 p.m. - PJ Moon

Friday, May 31 at 6 p.m. - d’Lovelies

Wednesdays at 6 p.m. - Open Mic

Sundays at 5 p.m. - Jazz Sundays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knottedrootbrewing/

Website: https://www.knottedrootbrewing.com/home

Location: 250 N. Caribou Street, Nederland

Phone: 720-248-7129

Nederland Farmers Market

Sunday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. - Jon “Blackdog” Ridnell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NederlandFarmersMarket/

Website: https://www.nederlandfarmersmarket.org/

Email: nederlandfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Location: 85 E. 1st Street, Nederland

Old Gallery at Allenspark

Friday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m. - Brad Fitch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAPOldGallery

Website: https://www.theoldgallery.org/

Location: 14863 Highway 7, Allenspark

Phone: 303-747-2906

The Train Cars

Saturday, May 25 at 9 p.m. - Bulas and Beats with Dr. Bent, Guaro, and Glipish

Monday, May 27 at noon - Lucas Wolf and Kylie Brock

Thursday, May 30 at 5 p.m. - Train Jam

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thetraincars

Website: https://www.traincarscoffeeandkava.com/

Location: 101 Peak to Peak Highway, Nederland

Phone: 303-258-0440

Very Nice Brewing Co.

Thursday, May 23 at 6 p.m. - The Gael (Farewell Party)

Friday, May 24 at 6 p.m. - Reservoir Fog

Saturday, May 25 at 5 p.m. - Mountain ReVerb

Sunday, May 26 at 4 p.m. - The CBDs

Friday, May 31 at 6 p.m. - Rick Lobato

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verynicebeer

Website: https://www.verynicebrewing.com/

Location: 20 E. Lakeview Drive, #112, Nederland

Phone: 303-258-3770

Did we miss you? Want to submit your music listing in the Peak to Peak area? Do you have updates to your business? Please call 303-810-5409 or email info@themountainear.com to be included in the next edition.